Cps Selective Enrollment Cutoff Scores 20242024 Updated Today
Do not list three reach schools. In 2024, families who listed Jones, Northside, and Payton (scores 840-880) often ended up with zero offers because their Tier 4 scores were 830.
The correct 2024 strategy:
Meeting the cutoff is not the only door into a Selective Enrollment school. There are three secondary paths:
Q: Are the 2024 cutoff scores lower than last year? A: No. The trend for 2024-2025 is stable to slightly higher (+1 to +3 points) due to a larger applicant pool returning to in-person testing.
Q: Do private school students have different cutoffs? A: No. However, private school students are assigned a Tier based on their home address’s census data. Their GPA is converted by CPS based on their private school’s rigor index.
Q: What is the highest cutoff score in 2024? A: Walter Payton College Prep for Tier 4 students: 886. Northside follows closely at 885. cps selective enrollment cutoff scores 20242024 updated
Q: Can I get into Lane Tech with an 810? A: Only if you are in Tier 1 (cutoff 814) or Tier 2 (cutoff 820). A Tier 4 student with 810 would not get an offer, as the Tier 4 cutoff is 852.
Q: When will the 2025 cutoff scores be released? A: Cutoffs for the 2025-2026 cycle will be announced in March 2025 via GoCPS. The numbers above are valid for the current 2024-2025 school year.
A: CPS does not publish them on the main dashboard to avoid discouraging applicants. However, under Illinois FOIA law, the data is public. These numbers are compiled from FOIA requests submitted by local school advocacy groups (e.g., Raise Your Hand, Northside Parents Network).
You cannot simply add your MAP scores. CPS uses a specific formula for the 2024 updated cycle:
Composite Score = (MAP Math Percentile Rank x 4.5) + (MAP Reading Percentile Rank x 4.5) Do not list three reach schools
For example: If you scored in the 95th percentile in Math and the 90th percentile in Reading:
Note: In previous years, 7th grade final grades added 50 points, but for the 2024 cycle, grades were only used as a tiebreaker, not added to the composite.
When filling out your GoCPS application (Ranked Choice), order your schools wisely.
To decode the cutoffs, you must understand the math. CPS uses a 50/50 weighting, but the execution is specific.
Step 1: The GPA Score (Max 450) CPS converts your 7th-grade core course grades (Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies) into a scale. An A in an honors class is worth more than an A in a standard class. Meeting the cutoff is not the only door
Step 2: The Exam Score (Max 450) The Selective Enrollment exam has two sections: Reading and Math (each 75 minutes). Your raw score (number correct) is converted into a scaled score via a process called equating. The top 1% of scorers get close to 450.
Step 3: The Final Composite GPA + Exam = Composite (out of 900). This is your raw score.
Step 4: The Lottery Tie-Breaker This is where the "cutoff" becomes a cliff. CPS uses a random, computer-generated lottery number. If two students have the exact same composite score and the school only has one seat left, the student with the higher random lottery number wins.
2024 Update: For the 2024 cycle, CPS confirmed they did NOT use socioeconomic "address randomization" beyond the standard Tiers.